Connecting-ring.



PATENTED DEC 18, 1906.

F H. ENGEMAN. GON-NEGTING RINGu APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 12, 1906.

WITNESSES: I

THE NORRIS PETERS co., WASHINGTON, n. c.

FRANGES H. ENGEMAN, OF NEW'YORK, N. Y.

CONNECTING-RING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 18, 1906.

Application filed February 12, 1906. Serial No, 300.747.

T0 aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCES H. Enou- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Connecting-Rings, of wh1ch.the following is a specification.

This invention relates to connecting-rings of the type commonly employed on the ends of watch-fobs, chatelaines, and chains for detachably connecting thereto a watch, locket, or similar device.

The object of the invention is to so improve the construction of rings of this class as to minimize the danger of accidental disconnection of the watch or other device which is pendent from the ring.

In the manufacture of chains for watches, lockets, and the like it has been common heretofore to provide as the end link a ring having a spring-pressed telescoping section which may be pressed back against the tension of its spring to permit the entrance of the suspension-link of the watch and which when released is forced back to its normal position by the spring to close the circle of the ring, and thus preclude disconnection of the link therefrom. Vith this construction. it often happens that the telescoping section when released is not returned to its normal or locking position, due to the'fact that only a slight binding or jamming of the section in its casing is suflicient to hold it against the tension of its spring. Another defect present in these rings as heretofore constructed is that the strain to which the telescoping section is subjected from time to time by the pull of the watch thereon is apt to bend it or spread the mouth of its casing, so that when the telescoping section is forced out by its spring its end does not engage the corresponding surface of the ring, thus leaving an open space through which the link of the watch or locket may pass.

My invention aims to overcome these defects by so constructing the ring that even though the telescoping section is not returned by its spring when released the opening in the ring is closed and by providing means for ho] ding the telescoping section against lateral displacement due either to bending thereof or to spreading of the mouth of its casing. These desirable ends are attained by providing 011 the portion of the ring opposite that forming the casing for the telescoping section a sleeve which may be moved upon the ring to cover the portion of the telescoping section extending out from its casing or moved back, so as not to obstruct the passage for the suspension-link while connecting a watch or locket to or disconnecting it from the ring. When in the former position, this sleeve closes the opening in the ring, so that if the telescoping section is not returned by its spring when released, or if it is accidentally retracted, there is no danger of loss of the article which is suspended from the ring. Also when the sleeve is in-this position it holds the telescoping section against lateral displacement, thereby strengthening the ring at what has heretofore been its weak point.

I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved connecting-ring forming the end link of a chain in the usual manner. Fig. 2 is a central section thereof. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the locking-sleeve at the opposite limit of its path of movement; and Fig. 4 is a section transverse to that of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the ring A is shown as consisting of an arc-shaped solid portion (1, having an eye a connected thereto or formed integral therewith, and an arcshaped hollow portion 5, these parts being joined to form almost a complete circle or oval by inserting the end of the solid portion a within the end of the hollow portion 1), as shown in Fig. 4, and securing the two to' gether in any suitable manner. A light coiled spring I) is inserted in the hollow portion I), and also the end of a solid arc-shaped telescoping ring-section 0, having mounted thereon a stud c, which extends out through a longitudinal slot in the hollow ring-section 5.

Mounted on the ring-section a for sliding movement axially thereon is a sleeve (1, having a slot therein, through which the eye a extends. Preferably this sleeve is of such length that when one end abuts against the end of the hollow ring-section b the other is flush with the end of the section a opposite that to which section (1 is connected. The slot in the sleeve preferably extends from one end of the sleeve back a sufficient distance .ICC

to permit of movement of the sleeve from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

As thus constructed, it will be seen that with the parts in the relative positions shown in Fig. 3 a watch, locket, or other device can be suspended from the ring by moving the telescoping section 0 back within the hollow section 1) against the tension of spring 5 by means of the stud c, and then passing the link of the device through the opening in the ring thus formed by the withdrawal of the end of the ring-section 0 within section b. This being done, the stud c is released, and section 0 is forced back to its normal position by spring 0, thus closing this opening. The sleeve d is then moved around upon the ring section a to the position shown in Fi 1, in which the end of the sleeve to the left 1n that figure abuts against the end. of section b and in which the end of the telescoping section 0 is inclosed thereby. The sleeve fits on the section a sufliciently tightly to prevent accidental movement thereof after it is in this position. When in this position, the sleeve holds the end of section 0 against lateral movement, tending to carry its end away from the end of section a by bending it or by spreading the mouth of section I). Also if the telescoping section 0 becomes wedged in section b, so that it is not forced back to looking position by spring I), or if section 0 is accidentally retracted, as by the clothing catching on stud c, the path for the suspensionlink is effectually closed by the sleeve d, and therefore the device suspended from the link cannot become accidentally detached. To remove the device, it is only necessary to again move the sleeve (1 back to the position shown in Figs. 3 and f and then press the telescoping section 0 back by means of stud c.

Having now described my invention, What I claim as-new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. A ring having a section which is movable to close or open the ring and a sleeve mounted to slide upon the ring and adapted to reinforce said section when the latter is in the closed position, substantially as set forth.

2. A ring having a telescoping section and a sleeve mounted to slide upon the ring and. adapted to inclose the end of said telescoping section when in the forward position, substantially as set forth.

3. A ring having a telescoping section, a spring to position said section, and a sleeve encircling the ring and movable thereon to inclose the end of said telescoping section when in the forward position, substantially as set forth.

4. A ring having a section forming a casing, a section movable into said casingto open the ring, and a sleeve encircling the ring and movable thereon to carry its end. into and out of engagement with the end of said casing, substantially as set forth.

5. A ring having a telescoping-section, a sleeve mounted for movement on the ring and adapted to inclose the end of said telescoping section. when in the forward position, said sleeve having a slot therein, and an eye on said ring, extending through said slot, substantially as set forth.

6. A ring consisting of a solid section, a hollow section secured at one end thereto, a telescoping section adapted for movement within said hollow section, an eye on said solid section, and a sleeve on said solid section having a slot through which said eye extends, said sleeve being adapted for movement to carry one end thereof into engagement with the end of said hollow section opposite that which is secured to said solid section, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 10th day of February, 1906.

FRANCES H. ENGEMAN.

Witnesses:

S. O. EDMONDS, D. S. EDMoNDs. 

